Removable maternity insert panels



March 11, 1969 N SOUDERS 3,431,562 I REMOVABLE MATERNITY INSERT PANELS Filed Dec. 27, 1966 INVENTOR 675/29 A/ma/fe flan/dens Unite 3,431,5s2 REMOVABLE MATERNITY INSERT PANELS Elsie Natalie Souders, 214 Brush Creek Blvd., Apt. 3-W, Kansas City, Mo. 64112 Filed Dec. 27, 1966, Ser. No. 604,812 US. Cl. 2-221 Int. Cl. A41d 1/14 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The use of adjustable and expanding waist and hip areas in wearing apparel is an art recognized concept, most commonly seen in maternity garments. Probably the best known of the special purpose maternity garment makes use of a large knit panel forming a pouch-like structure in the abdominal contacting portion of the garment, necessitating the permanent removal of the front abdominal portion of the skirt. Other garment modifications have taken the form of drawstrings, zippered pleats, and series arrangemen s of buttons, hooks and snaps to be selectively let out during the progressive stages of the pregnancy.

In general, the above prior art garments have at least one common disadvantage. Substantially all of the heretofore known maternily garment adjustabiliy modfications, essentially created a permanent special purpose garment and, as a result, retained i s utility only during pregnancy.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide maternity insert panels which do not destroy and/or permanently mutilate and disfigure conventional clothing when incorporated therein. These insert panels have the characteris'ics of making selected areas of convenional garments, e.g., abdomen, waist or hips, adjustably expandable to accommodate the garments to body configuration changes during the prenatal development stage as well as the postnatal constrictive stage of the pregnancy period and are easily removed when expandability is no longer required. After the removal of same, the clothing is easily returned to its original condition with no disfigurations whatsover.

Another object of the invention is to provide maternity insert panels which are capable of modifying existing conventional clothing into comfortable and attractive maternity garments. An important feature of the invention is therefore the elimination of an unsightly abdominal pouch as well as the ability to retain the style and lines of conventional clothing, both while incorporated therein and after said panels have been removed. One of the inherent advantages of the subject insert panels resides in the fact that the garment fits more comfortably and does not have the tendency to ride up in front and down in atent O the back as so characterized the drawstring and pouch garments.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive method of incorporating insert panels or panels and elastic waistband combination assemblies into conventional feminine garments in such a manner that after incorporation, the garment does not assume the distinct maternity appearance. By virtue of selectively placing the above mentioned panels, the unsightliness of the knit fabric is not so apt to be exposed when the wearers arms are raised or when the overblouse commonly used therewith is inadvertently blown or displaced.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a combination waist band and insert panel assembly that is inexpensive, long lasting, attractive and easily incorporated in or removed from conventional feminine garments by persons with even limited sewing skills.

A further object of the invention is to provide a combination waist band and insert panel assembly of the character described which is so designed and constructed that a single size combination assembly will, for instance, accommodate all sizes of skirts, shorts or slacks from size 8 to 16. It is this feature that allows the combination assembly to be readily adaptable for mass production and does not require retail outlets to stock a large volume of multiple size waistband-insert panel combination assemblies. t

Other and further objects of the invention together with the features of novelty appurtenant thereto will appear in the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawing, which forms a part of the specification and is to be read in conjunction therewith and in which like reference numerals indicate like parts in the various views:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a combination waistbandinsert panel assembly, showing the outer side of same prior to incorporation wi'h a conventional garment;

FIG. 2 is a rear view of the combination waistbandinsert panel assembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of a conventional skirt having two side seams therein. This view shows the skirt as it appears before modification by an insert panel or a combination waistband-insert panel assembly and/ or after said modifying assembly has been removed;

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of a conventional skirt after modification by incorporation of a combination waistband-insert panel assembly; and

FIG. 5 is a front view of an insert panel.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the subject insert panels 10, hereinafter referred to only as panels, are shown separately in FIG. 5 and in combination with an elastic waistband 11. For convenience and use, the panels are manufactured in the shape of an isosceles triangle, same having base 10a and equal length depending sides 10!). These panels would typically be cut from a knit or stretch fabric such as nylon or any other soft finished readily washable material. The actual dimensions of each panel will be dictated somewhat by the intended use such as whether the panel is designed to be incorporated into the middle seam or the side seams of maternity garments such as skirts, slacks, shorts, etc.

To aid in the utilization of each panel, a panel stitch guide is sewn or marked in some manner on each insert approximately /8 inch from the side edges 1012 (see FIG. 5). These markings will serve as seam guides for seam space allowance during the sewing of each panel 10' into the garment.

In constructing the unitary waistband-insert panel combination, the material along the base portion 10a of each panel 10 is gathered and sewn to the elastic waistband 11. The amount of gather at the base portion will be determined by the elasticity of band 11 and the size of the panel. For example, if the garment is a skirt that is originally a size 8, and if each panel has a base 100 dimension from one seam allowance guide mark 100 to the other, of 5 inches, then the base 10a is conveniently gathered 2 /2 inches when atfixed to waistband 11. Note that the gathered panel 10 is only sewn to waistband 11 between the seam allowance guide marks.

In attaching the panels 10 to waistband 11, a standard elasticizing stitching, such as zig-zag stitching 12, may be employed to more readily allow each panel 10 to retain the expansion capability inherent in the elastic wasitband. Since both elasticity and Supportability is desired, waistband 11 is generally comprised of a strong high quality elastic material, as a substantial portion of the garment weight is carried thereon. Of course, it may be desired that only certain portions of waistband 11 be elasticized and the selective use of elastic material in combination with a nonstretch fabric is fully contemplated.

Consider now the method of implementing the subject panels and/or elastic waistband combination into an ordinary skirt. Such a skirt, depictedin FIG. 3, and identified by the numeral 15, shows conventional side seam 13a running from the lower hemline up to the conventional wasitband 13b. The first step of the method requires the removal of waistband 13b, and same is accomplished by simply taking out the stitches that aflix its circumferential periphery to the upper portion of skirt 13. A preselected portion of the side seam stitches 13a from the upper end downwardly toward the hemline is then removed. The number of side seam stitches to be removed (thereby determining the depth of the opening from the upper end waist portion of skirt 13 downwardly along seams 13a.) depends on the dimensions of the insert panel 10 to be utilized therewith and thusly dictates to a degree the expandability of the waist and abdominal area of the garment. With the conventional waistband 13b removed along with a portion of each side seam stitches 13a, the skirt is now prepared to receive the combination elastic waistband 11 and panel inserts 10 seen in FIGS. 1 and 2.

When attaching panels 10 and waistband 11 to skirt 13, the panels are placed in the openings created by the removal of stitches along side seams 13a. Each panel is first pinned to the skirt peripheral edges adjacent the area where the stitches have been removed. Care is taken to match the stitch guide 10c to the skirt seam. Each panel 10 is then either stitched by machine or back stitched by hand into the peripheral seam portions 13a.

With the panels 10 now securely attached to skirt 13, elastic waistband 11 is then stretched to fit the front of skirt 13 and is pinned to the waist line of same in the front. The elastic waistband is then stitched to the upper peripheral edge portion of skirt 13 by machine or by hand, however, care is taken not to stitch along the waistband at the upper edge 10a of each panel insert 10 as such stitching would deprive panels 10 of their expansion characteristics and capabilities. Since the panels give the waist area an increased dimension and since the elastic waistband 11 was stretched prior to stitching, the front of the garment will gather by an amount that the front dimension of the skirt exceeds the normal unstretched length of waistband 11. After the front area of the skirt waist has been sewn, the back waistband may be bound with a sewing tape or all raw edges of material may be secured *by overcasting stitches, by hand or machine.

In the event the garment (skirt, slacks or shorts) is constructed with a zipper in the side scam, the garment can be prepared for incorporation of the subject panels by either removing the zipper or opening the zipper from the waist line to its lower extremity depending on the dimensions of the insert panel to be utilized therewith and thusly dictates to a degree the expandability of the waist and abdominal area of the garment.

As was suggested above, the incorporation and utilization of the subject panels 10 with elastic waistband 11 alters the dimensions of the specific garment. For example, if a conventional skirt 13 were size 8, it would measure 12 inches across the front from the left side seam to the right side seam at the waistline. By utilizing a typical panel construction such as that shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, with skirt 13, the skirt becomes 15 inches across the front from side seam to side seam at the waistline. When elastic waistband 11 is stretched it has the capability of expanding to approximately 23 inches across the front between the side seams. This dimensional result may be accomplished by selectively utilizing insert panels and the clastic waistband in the following manner:

(1) Elasticized waistband 11 is 32 /2 inches in circumference or 16% inches from side seam to side seam includnig the seam allowance of /8" on either end of the elastic portion;

(2) The triangular shaped panel inserts 10 are 7 /24 inches along the base dimension 10a including the seam allowance of inch on either side of each panel when gathered onto the elastic portion of the waistband;

(3) The remaining 5 inches of each panel insert 10 is gathered by 2 /2 inches of elastic waistband 11;

(4) The usual 12 inches of the front of skirt 13 is gathered by 10 inches of the elastic waistband 11.

The same waistband-panel assembly may be used with various sizes of skirts. Of course, the gather in the front, between the side seams, of a size 16 skirt would be proportionally greater than the gather in a size 8, and the desirable expansion characteristics readily available.

The versatility and economics of the instant panel insert is emphasized by the fact that after the entire pregnancy period has elapsed, both the developmental stages and the constrictive stages, the panels and the waistband assembly may be removed from skirt 13 by removing the stitching which affixed it thereto. The side seams are then restitched, either by hand or by machine, and the conventional waistband is likewise replaced, thereby returning the garment to its original shape and configuration without any stretch and seam removal damage whatsoever. The combination panel insert and/ or waistband may thereafter be repeatedly reused in other garments as the need would dictate.

While the above example embodiment stressed the incorporation of a combination waistband-panel assembly into the side seams, a single panel centered on a selected length of elastic waistband is also contemplated. This single panel assembly could be incorporated in the middle front seam in much the same way, however, the front gather would extend from the panel insert toward each side seam.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forth together with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the structure.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claim.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

5 6 I claim: References Cited 1. The method of temporarily modifying conventional UNITED STATES PATENTS nonaltered wearing apparel having side seams therein and a waistband along the upper portion thereof into a ma- 360,979 4/1887 2-437 ternity garment, said method comprising the steps of: 5 518,369 4/1894 Leavltt 2*237 removing Said Waistband, 887,589 5/1908 Cohen et a1. 2221 opening said seams a preselected distance, 1,058,039 4/1913 2 221 sewing a triangular insert panel to each side portion of 1,883,263 10/1932 Wnght 2 237 pp d b d FOREIGN PATENTS stretc mg an e astrcrze waist an stitching said waistband to the front upper portion of 10 322959 8/1957 Swltzerland' said apparel while in said stretched condition, and HAMPTON HUNTER Primary Examiner stitching the remainder of said waistband around the upper portion of said apparel while in a nonstretched US. Cl. X.R.

condition. 1 2-243 

